Ranunculus plant named  &#39;ABTHUNOR &#39;

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Ranunculus  cultivar named ‘ABTHUNOR’ is disclosed, characterized by flowers colored light and medium pink, and a large corolla. Plants produce a high quantity of quality, large size flowers throughout the harvest season. The new variety is a  Ranunculus , normally produced as a cut flower and potentially useful as an ornamental plant.

Latin name of the genus and species: Ranunculus asiaticus.

Variety denomination: ‘ABTHUNOR’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The new Ranunculus cultivar is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the inventor, Alberto Biancheri at a research nursery in Camporosso Mare, Italy. The cross resulting in this new variety was made during 2010.

The seed parent is the unpatented, proprietary variety referred to as Ranunculus ‘ABROCHI’. The pollen parent is the unpatented, proprietary variety referred to as Ranunculus ‘77-07/2F’. The new variety was discovered in 2015 by the inventor in a group of seedlings resulting from the 2010 crossing, in a research greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar was first performed by vegetative division of buds sprouting from the rhizome of the selected plant. Subsequent propagation has been performed by tissue culture. First propagation took place at a research greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy in 2015 and has shown that the unique features of this cultivar are stable and reproduced true to type in multiple successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The cultivar ‘ABTHUNOR’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, day length, and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘ABTHUNOR’ These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘ABTHUNOR’ as a new and distinct Ranunculus cultivar:

-   -   1. Light and medium pink flower color.     -   2. Consistently large corolla production throughout harvest         season.     -   3. High productivity of consistently quality flowers.

PARENT COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABTHUNOR’ are similar to plants of the seed parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘ABTHUNOR’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Flower color of the new variety is different than that of the         seed parent.

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABTHUNOR’ are similar to plants of the pollen parent, in most horticultural characteristics, however, plants of the new cultivar ‘ABTHUNOR’ differ in the following;

-   -   1. Vegetative carriage of the new variety is lower than that of         the pollen parent.     -   2. Flower size of the new variety is smaller than that of the         pollen parent.

COMMERCIAL COMPARISON

Plants of the new cultivar ‘ABTHUNOR’ are comparable to the commercial variety Ranunculus ‘ABROCHI’. The two Ranunculus varieties are similar in most horticultural characteristics; however, the new variety ‘ABTHUNOR’ differs in the following:

-   -   1. Flower color of the new variety is darker pink than that of         ‘ABROCHI’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photograph in FIG. 1 illustrates a close-up of plant parts.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower.

FIG. 3 illustrates illustrates in full color flowering plants of the new variety at approximately five months old, grown in a greenhouse. The photographs were taken using conventional techniques and although colors may appear different from actual colors due to light reflectance it is as accurate as possible by conventional photographic techniques.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart 6^(th) edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The following observations and measurements describe 5-month-old ‘ABTHUNOR’ plants grown in a greenhouse in Camporosso Mare, Italy. The plant described has been cultivated in the month of March. In order to protect the crop against pests, some chemical treatments are performed. Treatments with growth regulators can be performed to limit the plant sizes. In particular, no growth regulators have been applied on the plant described. The rhizome has been planted on raised benches in a peat and pumice substrate mixture. The growing temperature ranged from 12° C. to 24° C. during the day and from 0° C. to 6° C. during the night. General light conditions are bright, normal sunlight. Measurements and numerical values represent averages of typical plant types.

-   Botanical classification: Ranunculus asiaticus ‘ABTHUNOR’. -   Propagation:     -   -   Time to rooting.—15 days at approximately 10-12° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted plantlet.—20 days.         -   Root description.—Tuberous root. -   Plant:     -   -   Growth habit.—Herbaceous perennial, robust plant, erect             vegetation.         -   Height to top flower.—Average range 50 to 60 cm.         -   Leaf height.—Average range 40 to 50 cm.         -   Plant spread.—Average range 50 to 55 cm.         -   Growth rate.—Medium.         -   Branching characteristics.—Main floral stems grow from a             basal rosette with one or two lateral branches, each of             which has one or two flowers.         -   Length of lateral branches.—Average range 45 to 50 cm.         -   Diameter of lateral branches.—Average range 0.6 to 0.8 cm.         -   Texture of lateral branches.—Slightly tomentose.         -   Internode length.—Internodes are extremely close together,             forming a basal rosette.         -   Strength of lateral branches.—Medium.         -   Color of lateral branches.—RHS Yellow Green 144A.         -   Aspect/angle of branches.—20° to 25°.         -   Number of leaves per lateral branch.—Usually 2. -   Foliage: The plant has a marked heterophylly that means that in the     same plant the leaves may have different size and arrangement     (simple, ternate and biternate), in relation to the degree of     development (young leaf and mature leaf) and their position on the     plant (basal leaf—leaf at the base of the plant—and cauline     leaf—leaf inserted at the nodes of the floral stems). In other     words, there are significant variation in leaf shape on a same     plant.     -   -   Leaf at the base of the plant.—Arrangement: Young Leaf:             Simple. Mature Leaf: Ternate. Average Length: 23 to 26 cm.             Average Width: 14 to 18 cm. Overall Shape of blade: Young             Leaf: Obovate. Mature Leaf: Palmatipartite. Dissected             leaves, describe lobes, quantity of dissection: Young leaves             are generally not lobed; mature leaves are generally divided             in 3 lobes, each one of which further divided. Apex:             Rounded. Base: Acute. Attachment: Base of the plant. Margin:             Dentate. Texture of top surface: Slightly tomentose. Texture             of bottom surface: Glabrous. Appearance of top surface:             Matte. Appearance bottom surface: Matte. Leaf internode             length: The internodes are extremely close together, forming             a basal rosette. Color: Young foliage upper side: RHS Green             138A. Young foliage under side: RHS Green 138B. Mature             foliage upper side: RHS Green 138A. Mature foliage under             side: RHS Green 138B. Venation: Type: Palmate; plunging into             the limb at the upper surface; raised on the limb at the             lower surface. Venation color upper side: RHS Yellow-Green             144A. Venation color under side: RHS Yellow-Green 144A.             Petiole: Appearance: Long, tubular. Length: Average range 12             to 15 cm. Diameter: Average range 0.3 to 0.6 cm. Pubescence:             Slightly tomentose. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144A.         -   Leaf inserted at the nodes of the floral stems.—Arrangement:             Ternate. Average Length: 6 to 10 cm. Average Width: 3 to             8 cm. Overall Shape of blade: Palmatipartite. Dissected             leaves, describe lobes, quantity of dissection: Generally             simple or divided in 3 or 3 lobes, each of which is further             divided in many lobes. Apex: Acute. Base: Acute. Attachment:             Floral stems. Margin: Dentate. Texture of top surface:             Slightly tomentose. Texture of bottom surface: Slightly             tomentose. Appearance of top surface: Glossy. Appearance             bottom surface: Glossy. Leaf internode length: Average range             3 to 15 cm. Color: Foliage upper side: RHS Green 137A.             Foliage under side: RHS Green 138B. Venation: Type: Palmate,             plunging into the limb at the upper surface and raised on             the limb at the lower surface. Venation color upper side:             RHS Green 138B. Venation color under side: RHS Green NN137A.             Petiole: Appearance: Slightly flat. Length: Average range 2             to 3 cm. Diameter: Average range 0.2 to 0.5 cm. Pubescence:             Slightly tomentose. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144A. -   Flower:     -   -   Quantity per plant.—8 to 10.         -   Bloom period.—Winter to Spring.         -   Vase Life (cut flower).—20 to 25 days.         -   Persistent or self-Cleaning.—Self-Cleaning.         -   Bud.—Closed bud: Shape: Flattened globular with a sharp             point. Length: Average 2.0 to 2.5 cm. Diameter: Average 1.1             to 0.8 cm. Color: RHS Green 137B, Purple N79A at the margin.             Slightly open bud: Shape: Flattened globular with a sharp             point. Length: Average range 2.0 to 3.0 cm. Diameter:             Average range 2.0 to 3.0 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 150D.         -   Flower.—Diameter: Average 8 to 10 cm. Height: Average 4 to 5             cm.         -   Corolla.—Round, regular, in the form of a flat section.         -   Petals.—Arrangement: Imbricated, disposed on the receptacle             in very tight verticils. The size of the petals is quite             variable, according to the position in the corolla,             decreasing from the exterior toward the center. Lobe Length:             Average range 5 to 6 cm. Lobe Width: Average range 3 to             5 cm. Quantity: Double flower, petals are very numerous             (>100). Texture: Silky, thin. Lobe Apex: Rounded. Lobe             shape: Obovate. Margin: Entire, finely crenate. Aspect:             Triangular, obovate, concave. Color when opening: Upper             surface: RHS Pink 49D, Pink 49C at the margin. Lower             surface: RHS Pink 49D, Pink 49C at the margin. Color Fully             opened: Upper surface: RHS Pink 49C. Lower surface: RHS Pink             49C.         -   Calyx/sepals.—Quantity per flower: 5 or 6. Shape: Concave.             Length: Average range 3 to 4 cm. Width: Average range 1.0 to             2.0 cm. Apex: Rounded. Base: Flat. Margin: Entire. Texture:             Lower surface: Glabrous. Upper surface: Tomentose. Color:             Upper Surface: RHS Yellow-Green 146D. Lower Surface: RHS             Green 137B, Red-Purple N79A at the margin.         -   Peduncle.—None.         -   Pedicel.—Length: Average range 45 to 55 cm. Diameter:             Average range 0.9 to 1.1 cm. Color: RHS Yellow-Green 144A.             Orientation: Upright. Pubescence: Slightly tomentose.         -   Fragrance.—None. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Androecium.—Stamens: Present, with a short white filament.             Anther shape: Longer than wide. Anther length: Average 0.3             to 0.5 cm. Anther color: RHS Yellow 7A; Red-Purple N79A at             the margin.         -   Gynoecium.—The pistils are numerous, short, locked together             at the center of the corolla, dome-shaped apocarpous             gynoecium. Pistil color: RHS Red-Purple N79D. Nectar glands:             Absent. -   Other characteristics:     -   -   Disease resistance.—Neither resistance nor susceptibility to             normal diseases and pests of Ranunculus observed.         -   Drought tolerance and cold tolerance.—No differences have             been noted in comparison to the common tolerance             characteristics to other Ranunculus cultivars.         -   Fruit/seed production.—Not observed. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Ranunculus named ‘ABTHUNOR’ as herein illustrated and described. 